The present invention relates to a heat sealable element which allows direct imaging of a coated support, such as fabric, and a process of self-laminating the element.
One method of imaging an element such as a fabric (e.g. tee-shirt) is to write or to draw directly thereon. However, the resulting dye image is not protected from mechanical wear or from water damage.
A second method of imaging an element such as a fabric is to first image a transfer paper, and then transfer the image to the receptor (e.g. fabric) element. The transfer coating provides adhesion to the fabric and protects the fabric from mechanical wear or from water damage.
The present inventors have pursued research to find a product and method which avoids the use of a transfer paper, but at the same time protecting the image on the receptor from the environment.
Transfer papers per se are known in the art in order to permit customers to create their own designs on transfer sheets for application to tee shirts by use of a conventional hand iron, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,358 issued Sep. 23, 1980. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,953 issued Sep. 27, 1988, is directed to a method for utilizing a personal computer, a video camera or the like to create graphics, images, or creative designs on a fabric.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,548 is directed to a silver halide photographic transfer element and to a method for transferring an image from the transfer element to a receptor surface. Provisional application No. 60/029,917 discloses that the silver halide light sensitive grains be dispersed within a carrier that functions as a transfer layer, and does not have a separate transfer layer. Provisional application No. 60/056,446 discloses that the silver halide transfer element has a separate transfer layer. Provisional Application No. 60/065,806 relates to a transfer element using CYCOLOR technology, and has a separate transfer layer. Provisional Application No. 60/065,804 relates to a transfer element using thermo-autochrome technology, and has a separate transfer layer. Provisional application No. 60/030,933 relates to a transfer element using CYCOLOR and thermo-autochrome technology, but having no separate transfer layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,179 is directed to a printable heat transfer material using a thermoplastic polymer such as a hard acrylic polymer or poly(vinyl acetate) as a barrier layer, and has a separate film-forming binder layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,990 relates to an image-receptive heat transfer paper which includes an image-receptive melt-transfer film layer comprising a thermoplastic polymer overlaying the top surface of a base sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,902 relates to a printable material comprising a thermoplastic polymer and a film-forming binder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,345 relates to a paper for thermal image transfer to flat porous surfaces, which contains an ethylene copolymer or a ethylene copolymer mixture and a dye-receiving layer.
However, none of these prior art transfer sheets provides for the direct imaging of a receptor article.
The present invention relates to a non-transferable heat sealable element, which comprises either (a) a porous or irregular, absorbent support or (b) a non-porous or smooth support, and a heat sealing layer comprising a thermoplastic polymer which melts in the range of 50-250xc2x0 C., a wax which melts in the range of 50-250xc2x0 C., or combinations thereof, wherein said porous absorbent support does not have a tack-free surface (e.g. does not contain silicone or similar tack free release material) and which absorbs at least 1% of said heat sealing layer, or said non-porous or smooth support has a surface which has a surface energy of at least 10 mN/m more than the heat sealing layer. The heat sealable element further optionally comprises an Image Receiving Layer which comprises at least one polymer which is capable of receiving and retaining water base colorants, said Image Receiving Layer either does not melt when heat is applied or melts at a temperature above the melting temperature of the heat sealing layer. Preferably, the Image Receiving Layer does not melt below 260xc2x0 C. The optional Image Receiving Layer is not necessary when dyes such as non-water color dyes or dyes, that will be retained by the heat sealing layer, are imaged directly onto the heat sealing layer.
The present invention further relates to a process for heat sealing an image, which comprises imaging the above-described non-transferable heat sealable element and heating said imaging element in order to melt heat the sealing layer, but not the Image Receiving Layer, in order to form a substantially single layer and encapsulate the water base colorant in said single layer. The optional Image Receiving Layer is not necessary when dyes such as non-water color dyes or dyes, that will be retained by the heat sealing layer, are imaged directly onto the heat sealing layer.